2011 USASA NATIONAL CUPS FINALS TEAM PREVIEW: Men's Amateur PSA ELITE

julio 14, 2011

July 14, 2011 (Bowling Green, KY) - A single goal is all that kept the men of the PSA Elite Soccer Club from advancing to the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) National Cups Finals in 2010. This year, PSA is following up its triumph at the Region IV tournament with a much-deserved trip to the 2011 edition of the USASA Finals. Play begins in Bowling Green, Kentucky on Friday, July 15 and carries through the weekend, with championship matches to be held on Sunday, July 17.

"We are a very technical team with an explosive offensive punch," said PSA Executive Director Alex Lujan. Proof of this punch is evident in their playing record over the past nine months, participating in Coast Soccer League's Premier Division season (including tournament play), where they have compiled an overall record of 22-0-2, scoring 89 goals
versus 11 scored by their opponents. This is the fifth year in which PSA has competed in CSL, and has seen their first team crowned as champions of the league twice, along with two second-place finishes and one third-place finish.

Memories of losing their shot at the Nationals over a tie-breaker goal to Olympic Club in 2010 didn't really stand in their way at this year's Regionals. They had another opponent to worry about: the Northern Californian weather. "The Region IV tournament was a difficult win for us, mentally and physically," said Lujan. "It rained all weekend and the fields were absolutely waterlogged. We are used to a quick style of play on short grass [or, many times, artificial
surface]. This forced us to change our strategy dramatically and really put in a blue-collar effort. It was a rewarding experience, though, as there was a visible shift in our play as we adapted to the environment."

PSA Elite eventually earned their spot in the 2011 USASA National Cups Finals with a solid 3-1 win at the Regionals over Lazio of Utah, which featured a pair of goals from Brent Whitfield and one from Christian Ramirez. PSA Elite will now meet up in the Men's Amateur bracket of the Finals against the three other Regional champions: Mass Premier Soccer (Region I - Massachusetts), RWB Adria (Region II - Illinois), and Legends FC (Region III - North Texas).

"I am excited to see how our team stacks up against the other regions," said Lujan. "This is a nice end to a very long and successful CSL season and USASA tournament path. We are planning to represent Cal South and Coast well. However, I also want our guys to enjoy the experience."